Doris Day

Born inCincinnati, Ohio on April 3, 1922, Doris Mary Anne Kappelhoff had dreams ofbecoming a professional dancer before a near-fatal car accident during her teenyears left her bed-ridden with a shattered leg for over a year. While listeningto the radio during her recovery and becoming entranced by jazz vocalist EllaFitzgerald, Doris embarked on singing lessons for two years, resulting in herbecoming a local radio star and joining big bands -- where she adopted the stagename of "Day" -- leading to a plum position with the Les BrownOrchestra.

While touringcross-country with Brown, Day had several hit records with the band, culminatingwith the end-of-World-War-II anthem SentimentalJourney. After two failedmarriages and giving birth to her son Terry, Doris relocated to Los Angeleswhere she was discovered by famed film director Michael Curtiz(Casablanca)and signed to a contract with WarnerBrothers.

Starting with the1948 Technicolor musical Romance on the HighSeas, where she introduced theOscar(R)-nominated hit song It'sMagic, Day quickly ascended tothe top of the most popular stars in Hollywood. While continuing her recordingcareer, she moved effortlessly between song-filled, nostalgic features such asCalamityJane - introducing theOscar(R)-winning hit SecretLove; gripping film noir(StormWarning); musical biography(Love Me or LeaveMe); a Hitchcock thriller(The Man Who Knew TooMuch) and modern romanticcomedies with Rock Hudson (PillowTalk), Clark Gable(Teacher'sPet), Cary Grant(That Touch ofMink) and James Garner(The Thrill of ItAll).

Despitenot making a film since 1968, Day still holds the record as the number onefemale box-office star. Her many honors include the Cecil B. DeMille Award foroutstanding contributions to the entertainment industry, the Los Angeles FilmCritics Award for Lifetime Achievement, a Grammy Lifetime Achievement Award, anAcademy Award(R) nomination for Pillow Talkand the Presidential Medal ofFreedom. Her films and recordings continue to appeal to audiences all over theworld. The iconic Oscar(R)-winning hit QueSera, Sera(Whatever Will Be WillBe) was not only the theme toher top ten television series The Doris DayShow but has resonated globallywith several generations.

Alifelong animal lover and pioneering animal welfare advocate, Day focused herlater years on her heart's passion--making this a better world for animals andthe people who love them. Her celebrity voice has been instrumental in reducingshelter euthanasia, introducing spay/neuter initiatives, lobbying for laws thatprotect animals, and many other programs. Since 1978, the Doris Day AnimalFoundation has grown into a national non-profit animal welfare leader andcontinues to carry on Day'slegacy.

DORIS DAY -IMAGES OF A HOLLYWOOD ICON offers hundreds of photos, includingglamorous publicity portraits, behind-the-scenes images with famous friends andcolleagues, and glimpses into her personal life. Longtime fan Paul McCartneyhas
contributed a Foreword.Turner Classic Movies host Eddie Muller and singer-historian Michael Feinsteinhave contributed appreciations of Day's motion picture and singing careers, respectively. A complete filmography and discography are alsoincluded.